04/08/2024
Saturday’s DokuNights concert by 47SOUL was to an eager packed house at Lumbardhi Bahce. They played their own unique eclectic style of music to an energetic crowd of listeners, who soon became fans.
The front was standing room only, so people filled the aisles as well, and it became an outdoor interactive experience of sight and sound we will not soon forget. The band mixed Arabic lyrics with English, and created a driving baseline beat that forced the crowd of fans to get up and attempt the Shamstep.
47 SOUL is the Palestinian musical collective who single-handedly sowed the seeds of the Shamstep genre, taking influence from hip-hop, electronica, and R&B, melding it with the sounds of Dabke, a traditional folk dance, and other Shaa’bi roots music from the Levantine region.
One attendee, Matthew Irvine, a Peace Corps volunteer from Drenas, distilled it down well, saying “47SOUL and the atmosphere at DokuNights was electric. I had never heard their music before, but I became an instant fan. When they had a moment of silence for Palestine and people lost in Kosovo, I was so moved. This Dokufest theme of ‘nothing changes if nothing changes’ keeps running through my mind. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to experience this festival.”
His friend Andrew Fellows (another Peace Corps volunteer), had come from Skenderaj to enjoy DokuFest, especially the evening concerts. “It was a joyful and energetic performance from 47SOUL, and engaging blend of modern electronic and traditional sounds, and a great message that resonated with the Kosovo audience.”
A night to remember, we thank 47SOUL for performing, and bringing along the message of peace. It’s was reminder that music, as well as films, brings the world closer together, close enough to hear each other.
By: Scott Hoy
Photo: Elmedina Arapi
